The Random Thought Thread

[menime123]

^ I still haven't watched the first movie. This might be unpopular opinion but superhero movies bore me to death.

Ordinarily I’d agree. The only super hero movies I’d really enjoyed were Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and a couple of the X-Men films.

But what Marvel have done with their shared universe is nothing short of genius. You have 20 odd movies telling a combined story building up to a mammoth 6 hour/2 part movie conclusion.

I went into it skeptical at first but it won me over. The whole thing is like a TV season (with movie length episodes and movie stars) that essentially build up to a huge season finale. Not every episode is brilliant, it took a few episodes to really find its feet and there are filler episodes, but it definitely gets there.

Others have tried to copy and failed, but the one winning is Star Wars, which is in the middle of successfully setting the stage for its future with The Mandalorian on Disney+ and tying all of its different properties together by filling in a lot of blanks (not to mention a character that can live for 900 years).

[spiritboy]

^ Unpopular opinion: I hate Star Wars franchise and haven't even watched the newer movies. I only watched the original three movies and i was bored to death.

[menime123]

^ Unpopular opinion: I hate Star Wars franchise and haven't even watched the newer movies. I only watched the original three movies and i was bored to death.

My sympathies. Not having Baby Yoda in life must be very unfulfilling.

[spiritboy]

My sympathies. Not having Baby Yoda in life must be very unfulfilling.

I'd rather have Gollum in my life, cuter than Yoda.

[aRat]

^ Unpopular opinion: I hate Star Wars franchise and haven't even watched the newer movies. I only watched the original three movies and i was bored to death.

Same. I also find their aliens and the whole aesthetic of that world really ugly and outdated.

Lord Of The Rings >>>

[menime123]

I'd rather have Gollum in my life, cuter than Yoda.

That explains a lot of your posts.

[TIfan]

I don't understand why doctors and nurses (especially) get the "hero" treatment like the military. Yes, they are paid to save lives, but so is the military. 1700 health workers have died from COVID, but people in US only talk about the military when it comes to heroism. Pisses me off.

[menime123]

I don't understand why doctors and nurses (especially) get the "hero" treatment like the military. Yes, they are paid to save lives, but so is the military. 1700 health workers have died from COVID, but people in US only talk about the military when it comes to heroism. Pisses me off.

Because this is the first global pandemic most of us are experiencing where there was a real risk to life and no vaccination available.

Yes there are other illnesses and diseases that medical staff can pickup from their work environment, but there’s protective steps in place to prevent transmission or treatment readily available if they catch it.

I don’t believe any doctor or nurse thought they’d ever be in such a position whereby simply going into work was a risk to their own lives, but here we are.

[theMathematician]

I don't know about about the situation in the US, but in my country, less than 1% die from Corona and about 19% suffer from a heavy infection. So there's no notable risk to one's life and a slight risk to one's health.

[aRat]

I don't understand why doctors and nurses (especially) get the "hero" treatment like the military. Yes, they are paid to save lives, but so is the military. 1700 health workers have died from COVID, but people in US only talk about the military when it comes to heroism. Pisses me off.

Because of propaganda and brain-washing. Now that joining the military is voluntary and not forced like it used to be in the past, the state and politicans need tricks such as large wages and empty promises of "honor and being considered a hero" to lure young men to risk their lives to fulfil some rich elites desires for more money and power.

The military and soldiers are criminals and killers except in one scenario - when they protect themselves and their nation from an attack (a real attack and not some faux ones which are used to start wars).

Sadly we all know that the primary use for military by every country ever was mainly for offense and not defense.

[menime123]

I don't know about about the situation in the US, but in my country, less than 1% die from Corona and about 19% suffer from a heavy infection. So there's no notable risk to one's life and a slight risk to one's health.

You’re in Germany?

[theMathematician]

At the moment, I am - that is correct.

[menime123]

At the moment, I am - that is correct.

Germany has a COVID-19 death rate of 1.5% now. Over 13,000 people have died so do you want to tell their loved ones COVID-19 poses no notable risk to someone’s life?

Surely you must see that medical professionals are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. Medical professionals risk their lives by interacting with patients with COVID-19 and that makes them heroes. They didn’t sign up to it like people do the army (in most places) - but they get on with it anyway.

I should also point out that more nurses have died from COVID-19 in Europe than died in WW1.

Please understand the implications of what you’re saying on a public, multi-national forum. From what I can tell you’re a smart guy - at least recognise COVID-19 has killed in excess of 1,300,000 people so far so clearly there is a very notable risk to death no matter where you are in the world.

[theMathematician]

At least in Germany, roundabout the same amount of people died like in previous years, so it's a shift from other illnesses to more victims of Corona. In other countries, I reckon that there is an increase of dead people, which does underline your message.
I do not understand why you're differentiating between medical professionals and people working in the military. Maybe you could explain that part !

[menime123]

At least in Germany, roundabout the same amount of people died like in previous years, so it's a shift from other illnesses to more victims of Corona.

This is inconsequential to the point being discussed. Any death from COVID-19 is a death that should not have happened and could never have happened in previous years because (as far as we know) it did not exist in humans.

People dying from known illness and sickness is very, very sad, but a natural and accepted part of life. COVID-19 deaths should not be happening and are not accepted as something natural or a part of life... one day I hope we get answers.

Your reasoning is completely and utterly flawed and it is frankly bewildering.

[theMathematician]

People dying from known illness and sickness is very, very sad, but a natural and accepted part of life. COVID-19 deaths should not be happening and are not accepted as something natural or a part of life...

Would you be so kind to explain why you are differentiating here?

[menime123]

Would you be so kind to explain why you are differentiating here?

Because you’re comparing death rates before COVID-19 to those counted after the pandemic hit. For arguments sake, COVID-19 didn’t exist in Germany in 2019 so you are discounting a number of incredibly significant variables because to do so suits your political agenda.

You completely ignore the impact of lockdown on the death rate. Had lockdown not happened and COVID allowed to spread throughout the entire population, Germany would have 83,000 deaths from COVID-19 alone (1% of population).

The very reason the deaths in 2020 are lower than 2019 is because of lockdown and all of the restrictions you believe breach your rights.

Do you know 100 people? How would you feel is 1% of them died? What if that 1% was a parent? A grandparent? Your best friend?

People are dying from a new virus (that might even be man made) and you’re saying it’s just a normal part of life and COVID offers ‘no notable risk of death’.

I know this much - you haven’t the balls to say that to the families of the people that have died. No balls what so ever.

[theMathematician]

Well, that's not what I was expecting to read, but... thanks, I guess .

[InFamous]

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[Rihab]

Germany has a COVID-19 death rate of 1.5% now. Over 13,000 people have died so do you want to tell their loved ones COVID-19 poses no notable risk to someone’s life?

I wouldn't go as far as saying ''no notable risk'', but it's also far from the biggest risk out there.

COVID-19 has so far killed 13k people this year, while cardiovascular disease caused by unhealthy diets has killed 150k+. Yet McDonald's is closed because of COVID-19, not because their burgers are killing people. An additional 150k+ people have been diagnosed with a ''preventable'' cancer (e.g. caused by smoking, sitting around too much). Yet gyms are closed and people locked inside while the tobacco industry is still allowed to advertise cigarettes to kids. Why? Make it make sense.

We've all been following the news. We're all well aware of the risk. We should be allowed to decide for ourselves. Encourage high risk groups to continue social distancing (e.g. with a ''right to work from home''), but let the rest of us get on with our lives.

[theMathematician]

I fully agree with Rihab here.

[Rihab]

Re-reading my post, I think the last paragraph is likely to be misunderstood. Just to be clear, I'm not calling for a return to total normalcy with big crowds at sports events, sold out theaters or even full restaurants. I just want October back, not January. I just want to be able to meet more than one friend. The current measures are too much.

[InFamous]

Re-reading my post, I think the last paragraph is likely to be misunderstood. Just to be clear, I'm not calling for a return to total normalcy with big crowds at sports events, sold out theaters or even full restaurants. I just want October back, not January. I just want to be able to meet more than one friend. The current measures are too much.

You and others already said that no one is sticking to that and it is not being policed though so what's the problem exactly ? You can pretty much meet whoever you want let us not be dramatic and act as if we are being locked underground, please.

[spiritboy]

A very good friend's mother have died from covid-19 today. And she had no underlying illnesses. So **** people who say covid is just a different type of flu. It isn't. The thing with this virus is we don't know where it'll attack in the body, everybody can show different symptoms and it attacks different parts of body in each person. While some people have it without noticing it, other people are effected in the worst way possible. It effects the heart, the brain, the kidneys, etc. So people dying might just be a number for you but its someone's family. These lockdowns are necessary because of stupid people who refuse to wear masks and spread it all around.

[menime123]

I wouldn't go as far as saying ''no notable risk'', but it's also far from the biggest risk out there.

COVID-19 has so far killed 13k people this year, while cardiovascular disease caused by unhealthy diets has killed 150k+. Yet McDonald's is closed because of COVID-19, not because their burgers are killing people. An additional 150k+ people have been diagnosed with a ''preventable'' cancer (e.g. caused by smoking, sitting around too much). Yet gyms are closed and people locked inside while the tobacco industry is still allowed to advertise cigarettes to kids. Why? Make it make sense.

It is not the same at all.

If you want to eat McDonalds or smoke a cigarette (which should not be around non-smokers) then that is absolutely your own choice and has no implications for anyone else but you.

But in order to get your McDonalds you have go out and mix with people. You have to go into the restaurant, speak to people and have your food prepared by someone.

Who is that ‘someone’? What did they do last night? Who did they speak to? Who did they hang out with? What about that person behind you in the queue? Or the person you’re handing cash to?

Going out and doing things has implications and you become a link in a chain that is susceptible to catching the virus and passing it on. Masks only offer limited protection and do not make you impenetrable.

Being low risk to death doesn’t mean you are low risk in catching it and passing it on. How would you feel if you hung out with a friend, then a few days later discover you had COVID, and had passed it on to a friend, who had passed it onto someone who then died?

Would you accept responsibility for their death?

What it comes down to is one simple question - is your liberty worth more than someone else’s life?

Personally I am happy living with a few temporary restrictions to help cull the virus and stop it spreading... because this is temporary and the science has always been fairly optimistic that it would be temporary. We now know it is temporary and a number of vaccines are going to be approved any day now, with some countries already planning to offer the vaccine in December.